Finding Blood (City Underdark #1)

Fancy You

Barmond sort of felt bad that he was avoiding Hugo (again). It had been two nights since that time where Hugo had carried him into his room over his shoulder, in plain view of his pack. They had not spoken since they had parted the next evening.

Nothing in particular had happened since then. It just that Barmond was persuaded that this had all been a fluke. Him? Catching Hugo's eye? Well wasn't that some fancy joke. And even if it wasn't, Barmond had liked their old way of interacting, with Hugo's merciless teasing and Barmond's heated responses. It looked a lot like the way he used to interact with the members of his clan. It was safe.

What did they even have? Were they former lovers now? Even the notion sounded absurd for the vampire. Former loves implied love. There was no such thing between them, just lust. Lust for blood. Lust for sex. It didn't feel right. Urg, this was complicated. Barmond was going to have a headache.

Barmond preferred aiming for Jessica. Now that one was easier to figure out, and they also had already slept together. Granted, both had thought the other to be a human. It had been a fling at some tavern to pass the night. Barmond had come all over her ample blossom, covering her with his scent. A scent that had been picked up by Hugo himself the moment Jessica had returned to the nest.

Barmond would have remained undiscovered for a long time, he was sure, had he not made that one mistake.

The rest was history. Hugo had tracked him down, they had faced one another, Barmond had escaped the city only to be brought back by lord Ranphoros' letter. Back into Hugo's arms that was, even if those arms had shown themselves to be a lot kinder this time around.

And then this mess occurred.

Barmond needed a break. When he spotted Jessica alone in the dining hall, he walked over to her and started a chat. She had approached him differently ever since she had learned of his true nature as if she was... scared of him? If there was one person in the world Barmond didn't want to scare, it was Jessica. Maybe this time around it would be different.

"Oh, I haven't thanked you enough for your service the other day," she suddenly said after they had gone over the formalities. "You were a big help."

Oh. Barmond had already forgotten about that, but he was glad she had reminded him. He nodded eagerly. "It was nothing. Nothing at all, really," he lied.

"I'm glad. That's a very useful talent you have there, you know. Your saliva that is. I've heard that some vampires sell it, have you ever considered it?"

"Ah, sadly the healing properties don't last very long. If you'd ever buy one it's very likely that you just bought a bottle of spit."

"Oh, well I suppose it makes sense. It was too good to be true. Bye Maggie!"

Maggie, Ranphoros's single daughter, giggled profusely. Barmond thought that she was a tad too spoiled but just as lovely on the eye as her father. Other than that, he had no opinion of her. They had seldom talked.

"I'll be right back," said Maggie between two giggling fits. What in Goddess had gotten into her? She was even more hyper than usual. Maybe something was about to happen?

"I know," said Jessica. She was also grinning wildly.

Barmond didn't have a very good feeling about this. His sixth sense was telling him that he better get out of there, but then Jessica adjusted her cleavage suggestively. Barmond was that weak for boobs, sadly.

"What are you up to this dawn?" asked Jessica.

This was suddenly going unexpectedly well. Barmond cleared his throat and smiled at her in a way he hoped was charming. "Nothing really. I'll simply be going back to my inn to spend the day there." He almost asked if she cared to join. Almost.